Issues raised by the National Health Service (Amended Duties and Powers) Bill Parliamentary briefing
November 2014
Key issues
- While the Bill does not represent widespread structural change, its potential impact on the service should not be underestimated. It could significantly alter the relationship between the Secretary of State and NHS providers and commissioners. Such changes would need to be carefully managed to avoid creating any system instability.
- The NHS Five Year Forward View sets out a clear direction for the NHS to bridge the estimated £30 billion funding gap by 2020/21. It received cross-party support, and any new initiatives should be viewed in the context as to whether they would support the aims of the Forward View.
- It is important to be clear about the policy issues behind the technical drafting of the clauses and the potential implications for the NHS in England. This briefing aims both to explain what the clauses of the Bill would do but also some issues to consider.
This briefing has been prepared by the Health Foundation to inform the debate on the National Health Service (Amended Duties and Powers) Bill that took place in the House of Commons on Friday 21 November 2014.
This briefing aims to provide an explanation of the Bill’s contents and policy implications in order to inform public debate around what are an important set of issues. This briefing is descriptive, it does not seek to set out the Health Foundation’s policy position on these areas. Instead, it seeks to highlight how the provisions might change the current legislative position to contribute to an informed debate on the issues raised by the Bill.
A set of briefing notes accompany the main document. These notes discuss the key provisions of the Bill and their potential implications for the broader system.
Download the briefing notes
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